


Field of Battle, Bed of Roses

by BubblyGreenBubbles



Series: Field of Battle, Bed of Roses 'verse [1]
Category: Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-20
Updated: 2013-02-20
Packaged: 2017-11-29 22:32:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/692255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BubblyGreenBubbles/pseuds/BubblyGreenBubbles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prince John is sent to marry Bane, the king of another land. John is giving one week to spend with his personal guard and lover before leaving his home. </p><p>After his marriage to Bane he struggles to stay away from his lover, until is husband offered him a compromise.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Field of Battle, Bed of Roses

**Author's Note:**

> Betad by Darling. I think she may be dead after this.

Field of battle, bed of roses

Gotham was a kingdom that laid in the centre of The Territory. Known to all other kingdoms for its large lands and cities, the blessings of good harvest every year and the grand Wayne Castle that stood tall and proud in the centre of the lands. Because of Gotham’s prosperity, it had long been under the threat of siege from the neighbouring kingdoms. Its wealth and lands made it desirable to all, as well as the king, who was of marriageable age, but yet refused to take a wife or husband as a consort, either from Gotham or from another country. The leaders of the surrounding lands would periodically raise armies in hopes of taking King Bruce of the house Wayne as a husband for their daughters or his head and lands as spoils of war.

Several years before, King Ra’s of the Shadowlands had attempted to take both King Bruce and the throne of Gotham for his daughter Princess Talia. He met with defeat and King Bruce allowed him an honourable death on the battlefield.

It had become known through all the lands how distraught Princess Talia was at not only the loss of her father, but the loss of Gotham’s crown.

With Ra’s death, all of his lands, titles, and throne passed to his only male heir. His ward Bane, who swore to his princess and good friend, that she would one day rule Gotham and she would do so without a king by her side. As she deserved.

Bane rose to the throne to rule the Shadowlands, a small kingdom on the edge of the territory. It was not blessed with large, prosperous lands, or growing cities, harvests or a beautiful castle like Gotham. But the warriors of the Shadowlands were respected by all kings and feared by all soldiers. To meet the armies of the Shadowlands, to see the dark armour of the Shadowlands League of Assassins and witness their skilled, ruthless efficiency was to look upon the greatest of marital prowess of all the world. 

After Ra’s defeat it had come as a surprise to no one, when Bane finally made a move for the Gotham throne. Although how it was done was a shock to all.

King Bane had offered Gotham and King Bruce the protection of his army and in return he only asked one thing, King Bruce’s one and only heir, Prince John Blake. The constant warring against Gotham, had depleted Gotham’s lands of soldiers and food, and though Gotham won these battles, it was not without its costs.

With the threat of attack, constantly looming over Gotham, and the lands themselves, so wearied and withered from the constant battles, Bruce had no choice, but to agree. He did however ask one kindness be shown to the Prince. That he be allowed to remain in Gotham for one week more before his departure for Bane’s kingdom never to return. Bane allowed him this.

\----

John had retreated to his bedchamber after the non-stop whispers and gossiping of the staff speaking of his apparent betrothal to King Bane.

“You of all people should understand the importance of placing the needs of the people of Gotham above your own.” Bruce’s tone was tired, he was clearly exhausted from his meeting with Bane. He sat in one of the plush chairs in the corner of John’s room, a hand at his forehead to massage at his temples, hopefully staving off the headache that was slowly creeping into a migraine. 

“He isn’t even of royal blood! He is nothing more than a warlord’s bastard!” Anger was rolling off Prince John in waves, he paced in the centre of his room, as if trying to walk a hole through the large rug on the stone floor.

Bruce had known the prince would not take the news kindly or with any favour.

“Need I remind you you are also not of royal blood,” John’s posture stiffened immediately at the reminder as he paused from his pacing, instead standing before the window to the courtyard below and staring downwards, fists clenched at his sides.

“So you’ve made a marriage agreement between the son of a warlord and the son of the former head guardsman. Where is the political advantage in that?” John questioned sourly, “he is only doing this to gain leverage over Gotham, over you!”

John whirled, to glare fiercely at his King and oldest friend.

Bruce jumped to his feet, stalking to John quickly, features twisted in anger, his patience having run its course long ago, John’s recalcitrance, while not unexpected was tiring to hear, after the days and days of negotiation. He loomed over John backing him away from the window and against a wall, leaning closer to impart his words with both physical presence and tone.

“Gotham now has two armies protecting its borders. And that is a great deal more than any other kingdom can claim, our lands are becoming barren, our people are dying and our armies are growing wearied.” John looked away, knowing this, but still…

“You _will_ marry King Bane, you will play the dutiful husband to him and you will not cause problems and you should be, more grateful towards me. I bargained you a final week with your lover, “King Bruce said to the prince, then backed away,  “so in a weeks time, you will travel to the Shadowlands and marry King Bane, you will not raise objections, or I will retract your week, am I understood.” Watching John’s face redden, then pale.

Bruce turned away, but waited for John’s affirmation before moving and settling back into his chair.

John stood a moment in silence, thinking over the king’s words.

“How do you…” John was cut off.

 

“Nothing occurs in this castle without me knowing about it. I have had Barsad summoned here. I suggest you use your final days well, because in five days you leave for the Shadowlands and you will be married.” Bruce left John’s quarters without another word.

John slumped onto his bed, head dropping into his hands. He refused to let any tears of frustration fall over this, he wouldn’t give King Bruce or King Bane the satisfaction. He sat in silence until he heard his guards voice.

“It is true then?” Barsad stood in the doorway, his approach silent, like it always is.

John jumped from the bed and threw his arms around his neck.

“I am sorry. There is nothing I can do to change this,” John rested his cheek on his guard’s shoulder.  Barsad’s arms rose to clutch him tight in return, wrapping around him and stroking down his back, before one hand rose to cradle John’s head to his shoulder, fingers shifting through the prince’s hair.

“I understand, we always knew you would have to marry another.” Barsad’s voice was soothing, but he was unable to hide the hurt from his tone, John knew him too well, not to recognize the husk in his voice.

“I had always hoped it would be to one of the vapid ladies of court. One who would not care who was in my bed as long as she gained status. At the very least I was hoping to remain in Gotham with you.”  Was whispered into the skin of this throat, the words buzzing against Barsad’s flesh, as John spoke softly of shattered hopes.

“You are allowed to take a select few members of the castle staff with you,” Barsad reminded him and watched John’s face light up with joy, as John pulled back to look at him.

“We can still be together. You can come with me to the Shadowlands.”

“I can songbird, but we will not be together again. If your… husband,” Barsad struggled to get the word out, “found out about us he could have you executed.  I will not risk your life like that. I love you too much,” Barsad dropped a small kiss to John’s lips, holding the side of his face in the palm of one hand.

“I love you too,” John murmured, returning Barsad’s kiss, a chaste brush of lips, before Barsad groaned and gathered him up, almost taking him off his feet entirely.  They pressed their lips together as though they were dying men, reaching for air, Barsad curled a hand around the back of John’s neck. Tilting his head back to drive his tongue forward and down, to sip from his beloved’s mouth and ache with how sweet he was in taste and touch. Parting, they gasped for breathe, John’s eyes roving over Barsad’s face and he reached his hands up to cradle his face, “I love you,” he breathed, then repeated himself, “I love you”

 

“We still have five days, Barsad.” John tried to lighten the mood, after the desperation that had curled and settled into their kiss, Barsad stroked John’s neck with his fingertips, curling over his pulse point, with a proprietary touch.

Barsad let out a laugh, “However shall we fill them.”

\----

It was four full days ride from Gotham to the Shadowlands.

“When you swore to me that the throne of Gotham would be mine I had considered many ways you would make this happen. Marrying the prince had not been one of them. I regrettably find myself confused over this plan.” Princess Talia had approached Bane the moment he dismounted his horse in the castle yard.

“I did tell you that you’d have the throne of Gotham. I also told you that you would rule without need of a king. So I will marry Prince John and then when King Bruce tragically and suddenly passes his crown will go to his only heir. And as his husband it will become mine and I will make it yours. It is perfectly legitimate, no one will be able to question your claim and you will not need a husband at your side to rule.”

“I knew you would not fail me. Thank you, Bane, truly. You are being so selfless for me.”

Banes eyes cast towards the ground for a moment before replying, “this arrangement is not without its benefits for myself.”

A small smile pulled across the princess’s face.

“I sincerely hope he makes you happy. After all you have done for the kingdom and me, you deserve it. Your little prince will be welcome in the Shadowlands, always.”

Talia pressed a small kiss to his cheek before she headed out of the yard.

“Where are you going Princess?” Bane called after her.

“To prepare the castle for your wedding.” Talias voice was filled with joy.

\----

It was Prince John’s final night in Gotham, after the sun had set Barsad made his way to John’s bedchamber, as he had each previous night for the last four days. This time, he was stopped by King Bruce outside his prince’s corridor.

“Your highness,” Barsad bowed when he saw the king.

Bruce simply made a gesture for the guard to rise then spoke, “Barsad, I do believe.”

“Yes sire, how may I serve you?”

“I wish to speak to you in regards to the prince,” the King’s voice was low, it was clear he did not want anyone to overhear.

“Sire?” Barsad questioned.

“As I am sure you know, John is to wed tomorrow,” Bruce waited for Barsad to agree before he continued, “It had been brought to my attention that you will be a part of the private staff John will be taking with him.”

“I am honoured to be chosen to serve the prince.”

The King’s face pinched in annoyance at the interruption.

“Yes, I am well aware of how you… serve the prince.”

If it was not for his duty and in regards to such a topic, Bruce would have smiled at the tension that stiffened the man’s form, how tight and closed he became in his body language. Despite his words to John, Bruce would never have had his lover executed, he was asking a lot from the Prince and despite John’s hesitance, he would do what was right for the people and the land, he would marry Bane and he was sure John would be faithful. Bruce took no pleasure in doing this, but there was little room for options, Bruce was not a fool, he knew this was a play for Gotham’s throne, but that did not preclude the very real problems that Gotham faced with the constant warring of other kingdoms. Ra’s assault had left the lands barren and savaged, an alliance with Bane would save the people.

“You may spend the night with him, as you have been the past few nights but this will be the last time, am I understood?”

When Barsad did not immediately reply Bruce repeated, “am I understood?”

“Yes Sire.”

“And I have also made it clear that you are to be the guard outside the Prince’s door on his wedding night, so you will remember your place.” Bruce took no pleasure in the guard’s discomfort and the pain that flashed in his blue eyes, leaving them sullen and opaque, in their half-lidded gaze. 

Barsad was left standing alone in the empty corridor, he could feel himself flushing with anger, now that the King was gone, left to his hateful thoughts, he breathed deeply, he did not want his last night with John to be distorted by anger. Soon, he was once again moving on towards his beloved’s chambers. John had just finished readying for bed, Barsad could see as soon as he entered his chambers, the pale arch of his throat gleamed in the fire light and Barsad, swallowed sharply, before striding forward and catching him up. Smothering the half-spoken “what-“ and crowding him back to the bed, catching the lithe form up by the thighs and tossing him onto the newly turned-down sheets of the bed.

 

When they pulled apart John panted for breath, gasping out a blurred, “what was that for?”

“Tonight, I am going to make sure every single person in this castle hears you screaming for me, begging for me, and moaning for me so that they never question who you really belong to.”

John’s reply was to roll his hips up causing a friction that made Barsad shudder.

John rolled them over so he was on top and then moved down his body until he was lying along the bed propped by his elbows. His face inches away from the bulge in the guards pants.  

“Does your plan at all include the sounds the castle is going to hear you making for me?” John retorted, while he unlaced Barsad’s trousers and pulled his half hard cock out.

“The thought had not crossed my mind. I cannot say I much… nghh” Barsad threw his head back as Blake moved his mouth over his cock.

John’s head bobbed up and down along Barsad’s length, the guard’s fingers twisted into John’s hair moving his head to meet his small thrusts.

“Yes, oh yes,” he murmured, “your mouth, beloved, you take my cock in it so well,” a particularly filthy suck of John’s mouth and Barsad gasped sharply, “if I could, I would keep you in this bed and fuck that lovely mouth of yours every day,” he promised.

Barsad’s cock fell from John’s mouth when he looked up, his lips lush and red, slick with spit and pre-come, “did you say something, Barsad? I could not hear anything over your moaning,” smiling and dipping his head to take up Barsad’s cock in his mouth again and moved down until his nose was buried in the guard’s course hair.

“John!”

The prince hummed when he felt Barsad thrust up and hit the back of his throat, swallowing around him and breathing sharply through his nose.

“John, you must stop now or I’ll be spent.”

Barsad tugged John’s head away, pulling him away from his cock and watching the rounding of his mouth as it slid from his lips with a pop, John licked over his lips, lingering with his tongue over the bottom and peering up at Barsad from beneath his lids with a self-satisfied smirk, “And what a true shame that would be for you, I’ve spent the entire day thinking of nothing more than riding your cock. After all that, I would hate to have to take care of it myself.” John moved off the bed to one of his packed chests. After pulling out a small jar of oil and placing it beside Barsad on the bed John started to undress slowly while Barsad watched.

John pulled away his shirt and started undoing his pants while Barsad leaned against the headboard watching and slowly stroking himself.

“Do you want to prepare me or continue to watch?” John asked while he dropped his pants to the ground leaving himself bare.

“I am going to open you up to me slowly. I will stroke inside you until you beg me to take you,” Barsad promised and watched John saunter his way closer to the bed, shadow and light flickering over his flesh, a patchwork of shadow and light, that sent a faint foreboding through Barsad, he would not touch that body, unless it was to serve it as a faithful guard after this night.

Barsad sat up and grasped John’s shoulders and pushed him to lie on the bed. He took one of John’s legs and threw it over his shoulder. Barsad slicked his fingers with the oil and slowly circled John’s tight hole before pushing a single finger into him.

“I will miss the feel of your heat around me songbird.” Barsad told him, his voice heavy with lust.

“I will miss the feel of you inside me. No one will ever fill me like you do.” Johns voice had a hitch to it, as his breathing picked up.

Barsad took John’s erection in his hand and pulled along his length, his fingers sure and steady as he watched John’s body undulate before him, breaking open to his gaze as he stroked him to gasping incoherency. 

“Sing for me songbird, I need to hear your song one last time.” Barsad added another finger and then another, John’s body knowing and relaxing for his touch.

Soon, John was grasping at the sheets and gasping for breath.

“Come on, songbird.”

John came with Barsad’s fingers and cried out his name, come striping over his belly and chest, as he shivered with over-sensitivity, Barsad continuing to thrust with his fingers as he orgasmed.

“That’s it. Tell them all who owns you.”

Barsad moved back to cover his cock in the oil, but before he could enter John he was pushed over onto his back and John was climbing into his lap to straddle his hips.

“I told you I have been thinking of this all day,” John said while he gripped Barsad’s cock in one hand and steadied it, to slide down on, his hole burning with that first stretch, before he sank down and settled, Barsad holding him with his hands on his hips, careful not to hurry him, but to guide him and keep him from hurting himself.

Barsad’s hands had a tight grip on Johns hips as he guided each thrust.

“Not so rough, I can’t have any bruises were he might see.”

Barsad’s grip became tighter as he let out a growl at the mention of Bane. John’s pace picked up and his moans grew louder.

“Whenever he takes me, I will think of you. Every time.”

John rode him until Barsad came with a deep groan, the smack of flesh receding to shivery gasps and moans, as Barsad stripped his cock to a second orgasm and rolled him to rest against his side over his chest.

“No matter, what happens in the Shadowlands my heart will always be yours.” John spoke softly after a time. Stroking a hand down his lover’s back with a broad hand, he turned his head to lay his mouth against the top of his head and press his lips there.

“I know songbird.”

\----

The moment the Prince arrived in the Shadowlands he was taken straight to the castle church.

“Am I not even allowed a day to settle into my new home?” John asked with indignation.

“The King said that you are to wed the moment you arrived. No time like the present.” The steward told him as he was lead into the church.

“Am I at least allowed to change into more formal wear?”

“I fail to see what difference it will make, you will not be clothed for much longer,” John’s stomach churned at the knowing tone in the other man’s voice and he fought against the urge to look back and see Barsad’s face.

“You are speaking to a future King of the Shadowlands, watch your tongue or you won’t have on for much longer,” John retorted, he would not be disrespected by Bane’s men, he was marrying the man for duty, not for love, but he was owed respect as the one their King had chosen.

Both the prince and the steward stopped outside the doors of the church.

“You are marrying the King, that makes you the Queen, do remember _your_ place.” The steward opened the door and ushered the prince and his small routine inside.

Despite, the steward’s words, they were allowed to freshen up, John was left sequestered in small room, after servants had helped to dress him in wedding finery, John stared at himself in the mirror and smoothed the heavy brocade of his uniform. Two guards had been posted at the door, Kojo and Barsad and he needed a moment…

“Kojo leave us,” John ordered.

When they were alone, Barsad pulled John into a kiss.

“King Bruce said I must stand at your chamber door tonight. I cannot ignore the gnawing feeling in me at the thought of having to listen to someone else enjoying your body. I hate this.”

John ran his fingers along the side of Barsad’s face, the guard’s eyes were sad, sadder t

than John had ever seen.

“That man will not get a single sound out of me in bed, only you will ever have that of me.”

“Your song will be mine alone, my beautiful songbird.”

The two men pulled apart when Princess Talia entered the room, heavy skirts swirling around her feet, she cast a questioning glance to the pair before she addressed John.

“You would be so kind as to ask your guard to wait outside with the other guard please,” John gave Barsad a nod and he did as he was told.

“Princess, to what do I owe the pleasure of this unexpected visit?”

“I’ve come to welcome you to our home.”

“Thank you. But with the rush I have been given, I am afraid I do not feel very welcome.”

John watches as princess frowns, “have you ever had something so unexpected happen to you, that you need to make sure you can keep it forever before it slips through your fingers?”

John casts a quick look to the door he knows Barsad is on the other side of, Talia didn’t miss it, “I see you know exactly what I am speaking of, and that is why Bane has ordered the wedding now. So you do not slip through his fingers into someone else arms.”

“I do not know what you are speaking of, my lady,” John tried, -not with any skill- to cover his moment of weakness looking towards the door and Barsad.

“I care nothing about your life before the wedding, but know that if you ever hurt Bane, in any way I will see to it that you suffer a pain you cannot even begin to imagine,” any degree of kindness in Talia’s voice withered and was replaced with a cold determination, a deep chill that soaked it’s crooked claws into John’s bones and hung there on tenterhooks.

“I do not know how you could hurt me in a way, that would cause me more pain then is already in my heart now,” John retorted, “but, I know my duty, my lady” he offered her a caricature of a respectful bow, watching her lips tighten as she caught his mockery.

“I never said I was going to hurt you, my prince, your guard however…, well accidents happen all the time, do they not?”

Her smile was venomous, the poison almost physical as John swallowed again and again, watching as Talia left him, her threat hanging heavy in the air.

Throughout the whole ceremony, John’s heart felt like it was beating in his ears and searching for a way out of his chest. He couldn’t hear a thing, he almost missed his cue to speak and agree to the marriage when prompted by the priest. All he could think of was Barsad and how he was forced to watch him marry another. Mayhap, John should have left him back in Gotham and spared him the pain of this scene.

After the ceremony was over and John was officially married to Bane, a chaste brush of lips over his own, sealing the marriage oath, he had to sit through a feast. He was seated next to his husband and didn’t say a word to him, his eyes remained on his food or the lone guard in the far end of the hall. He smiled when prompted, spoke graciously and of nothing to the courtiers, few as they were and all hard men and women, but every now and again he could feel his husband’s gaze on his and John made sure to look away from Barsad.

When John was able to leave he followed the servant to his new bedchambers, where he would join with his husband, as slowly as he could, trying to prolong the inevitable and just as he was told Barsad was standing guard outside the door, John hadn’t even seen him leave the dining hall. Dismissing the servant with absent thanks, he lingered at the doorway, watching his former lover, from the corner of his eye.

“I will try not to listen,” Barsad’s voice was cold and his face emotionless.

“I am so sorry, I do not want this. Not with anyone else, only with you,” he bit his lip and tried to assure, useless as it was, their love was in the past, no matter how John wished otherwise.

“You should go, your husband will be here soon,” Barsad droned and flickered his eyes once toward him, blue, fathomless, than away.

John could say nothing to this and entered the room.

The longer Bane made John wait the more panic gripped at him, thoughts of how Bane would take him swum in his mind. Would he be gentle, would be rough? Would he want John to enjoy it too or would he enjoy his pain, take him with little thought to John’s pleasure?

John jumped when he heard Bane open the door and enter, inside the room his new husband looked huge, their chambers suddenly, seemed so small compared to his bulk and John shivered. If Bane wanted something John didn’t want to give, he had no way of stopping him.

“You may stay in this chamber with me or you may take the rooms across the hall,” was all Bane said as he entered the room and began to undress.

“What do you mean?” John was confused, was Bane displeased with the furnishings of this chamber, was he displeased with John?

“If you do not wish to sleep in this bed with me you may sleep across the hall, I understand that you may be uncomfortable sharing a bed with me, since we have only met this morning,” this was not how John expected Bane to act, to offer him separate rooms…? It was unheard of!

“But, you are my husband,” John’s tone was almost questioning.

“I am,” Bane agreed with an edge of soft laughter to his voice.

“So why are you not taking me? It is your right.”

“Do you wish me to take you? You can be honest, I will not be angry with any answer you give.”

“No, I do not want… that,” John murmured, feeling somehow ashamed at his reticence.

“It is understandable, my little prince.”

John didn’t understand what was happening at all, an irrational part of him was angry with Bane, was he not desirable enough to bed? Was his husband displeased with him? Watching the large man, shed clothing and uncover the scarred miles of his skin, his form was pleasing, if brutish and large and John could not help, but peek when Bane shed his trousers, blushing and turning away to fumble with his own clothing. He was so large, surely there would be pain…?

“Why did you call me that? Little Prince?” He tried to distract himself from his virgin modesty and the rising flush, that even now was heating his cheeks.

“Because, that is what you are,” Bane said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“But, we are married that makes me a king now,” John deflected, puzzling over Bane’s rationale.

“After all this time, you will always be my little prince,” John could hear the smile in Bane’s voice, turning the moniker over in his mind as well as his explanation, as he pulled on a pale shift, for bed.

“What are you talking about?”

“When Ra’s went to battle against Gotham, that is when I first saw you, my fierce little prince. A part of your Kings guard, fighting so bravely for your people.”

“You’ve been planning this since then?” John was shocked, he had assumed that the marriage was a misguided political power play, he never thought, that Bane was sincere in marrying him.

“I could not go to King Bruce with any proposition so soon after the war, the King would have met me with only suspicion,” In this Bane’s voice was frank.

“Why me?” John questioned at last, turning to face his husband and watch his eyes, as they studied him back. His gaze fell briefly on the three scars across his face before looking him in the eye again.

“Many reasons, you showed compassion for your people, and a determination to protect them in the battle field. Your beauty, of course, but where you come from is important to me, as well.”

“Where I come from?” John prompted him to continue, when Bane fell silent and merely watched him, he had drawn near to John as he’d spoken, striding forward to stand before him, so large in body and presence.

“You are like me, you were not born to privilege, you understand the cold of the world outside your throne. I know you will use your earliest experiences to care for the people of the Shadowlands, I do not have your…kindness, my people would do well with knowing yours.”

“I will stay in this room tonight, with you,” Blake said suddenly, he had decided moments earlier, but this…kindness, for what could it be, but kindness made him soften in his regard to the man. He knew Bane would not take him without his permission, if Bane could give him that, then he could give Bane this.

The pair finished preparing for the bed in silence, Bane did not once try to reach for John and roll him onto his knees to take his fill, he merely laid on his side of the bed and fell still.

John went to bed with his back turned to Bane, he thought of Barsad only metres away outside their chambers, as he fell asleep, his thoughts lingered on him, but he fell easily and deeply asleep within moments, exhausted from his day and his journey.

\----

“When do you plan on taking King Bruce’s life?” Talia queried softly, while she and Bane broke their fast, together.

“We must wait, if we move now, than I will be the first suspect, patience will do us no harm,” Bane cautioned, absently, drinking from his cup.

“I understand, we must act as the slow knife in the King’s side and by extension Gotham’s”

The pair continued eating with casual conversation, comforting in its familiarity, they had shared meals since they were children and this was a time for them.

“Where is your husband?” Talia could not help, but question, Bane had said little of his wedding night and she had respected her old friend’s privacy, by not prying, but John… he had a look upon him when he watched that guard of his.

“He has taken to walking the grounds in the mornings,” they did not have much of a garden to walk, a mere relic from Talia’s mothers days, before she had been murdered, the garden had been left to a few gardeners to be looked after, but for the most part left alone.

“Are you sure that is what he is doing?”

Bane froze, in his action of reaching for a knife to pare the apple before him, It was clear he understood what she was implying. However, he feigned ignorance and merely stayed silent, rather than to speak and confirm her suspicions.

“I have no reason to believe otherwise,” he began to cut the first strip of skin from the apple, Talia was not fooled, by his nonchalance.

“You have not seen the way he looks at the guard? Barsad, I believe his name is.”

“I have,” Bane agreed, noncommittally.

Talia reached across the table and took one of his large hands in her own, “I am just worried, old friend, I do not want you to be hurt by him.”

“John has given me no reason not to trust him,” frustrated, Talia, squeezed his fingers with her own, leaning forward as she spoke with intent.

“Bane you are far too willing to find innocence in others, I am afraid it will bring you nothing but grief, but if you are sure that your husband remains faithful to you than I too, shall believe it.”

\----

After breakfast, Bane left to find John, Talia’s words lurking like an ill omen in his thoughts, tainting them, until he was forced to search out his husband in the gardens and then, when he was there in the castle. When he found his little prince he was not alone. Bane was not surprised, but the sight still hurt.

“When Talia told me of her suspicions, I chose not to believe her and to defend you instead, I see that has proven to be quite the mistake,” Bane’s voice at the end of the dark corridor startled John and Barsad as they quickly broke apart from each other.

“My lord husband, this is not as it appears,” John protested, as he attempted to right his clothing.

“Then how is it really?” John struggled to think of a believable lie when Barsad spoke up from Johns side, “I forced him.”

John quickly rose to Barsad’s defence and to confess to his husband, that Barsad lied to protect him, but Barsad continued, “I was leaving my guard shift when I came across the prince alone and lost in the foreign layout of the castle. I do not know what came over me, but I forced him against the wall and pushed my mouth against his. If you had not come across us, your Majesty and brought me to my senses, I fear what I may have done.”

All the men fell silent as Barsad’s lie sunk like a stone in a still puddle, the ripples of its throw, just now being felt by the shore, Bane considered the guard and his tale.

“You do know, the punishment for your crime is death?” Bane questioned, absently.

“Yes, your Majesty, I pray you offer me the mercy of a quick death, even though I do not deserve it,” Barsad moved to fall to his knees before the king, John made a short sound, that was cut-off sharply as he watched.

“Even though you know you will die for it, you would swear to your lie? And you John, you would stand back and allow it to happen?” Bane asked them both.

“You can’t! You can’t kill him! It’s not true!”

“It is not a lie.”

John and Barsad spoke as one, their words tangled together and John cast such a look of fright to Barsad, as Barsad bowed his head.

Bane laughed without humour, “but I know it is a lie, everyone in Gotham knows of the love between you both, so of course talk of it has reached me. I do admire how you would die to protect him,” Bane spoke slowly, thoughtfully, but he said it all with nothing, but sincerity.

“I would never let him come to harm,” Barsad’s voice left nothing for argument.

John watched on, astonished at what was happening, before him.

“Have you taken my husband to bed since we have wed?” Bane demanded sharply, John made to answer, but Bane simply raised a hand to silence him.

“No sire, I would never.”

“Have you taken John before we were wed?”

Barsad bowed his head to bare his neck before the King, as if ashamed and John felt his heart beat faster in panic.

“Yes,” Barsad spoke the truth, “I have” I would have done no good to lie, regardless, Bane knew the truth of the matter already.

“I see, now one final question, answer honestly and you will not be punished. Do you both wish to be together once more?” 

Barsad waited to answer, taking his lead from John, whatever John would say Barsad would agree with, completely.

“Yes, that is what I want, that is what I wish, the only thing that could truly make me happy is to be with him,” John said, his voice filled with confidence as he approached his husband and his lover.

“Do you agree with him, guard?”

“I do, Sire,”

Then, Bane did something neither of them expected, he smiled.

“My little prince,” Bane drawled “if this is truly what you want, then I have a proposition for you.”

“What is the proposition?” John questioned with wary interest.

“If ever you wish to do anything with your lover, you must first do it with me,” Bane explained, than watched as John stared at him, perplexed.

“I do not understand,” John admitted, “please? What are you saying?”

“It is simple John, if ever you wish to kiss your guard, you must kiss me first. If ever you wish to go to bed with him you must first go to bed with me, is this understood?”

“Yes, my lord husband, it is understood,”

“Then, do you both agree to this?” Bane prompted them to speak,

John and Barsad both agreed to his condition.

“Do you wish to kiss him now?” Bane asked.

“I do.” John said, softly in reply.

“Then you know what you must do.”

Without another word John pressed his soft lips against his husbands, slowly he parted his lips and Bane’s tongue moved against his own, curling deep into his mouth to slake a lust he had not known he held until his husband’s mouth was open before and held out for him. John was painfully aware of Barsad kneeling beside them watching this, but even that could not take away the enjoyment John felt because of his husband’s mouth against his own.

When they eventually pulled apart Bane told them both, “do not let me keep you then,” and he left his husband and the guard alone.

\----

“Why would you willingly allow me to take another man to bed?”

Bane and Blake had both just entered their bedchamber. 

“It is clear to anyone who watches you, you and your guard, how deeply you both care for each other, I refuse to be the one that rips such a love apart. However, I am a selfish man and I still wish to have you in my bed, in this you will be willing, it is a reasonable compromise to me.”

John couldn’t hold back the sudden anger he felt, it lashed against his lips and he parted them to spit out his thoughts on such ‘a reasonable compromise.’ 

“Reasonable? Reasonable would have me returning to Gotham, reasonable would let me return home, I am nothing, but a pawn in your games, you are being cruel, my lord husband,” John retorted, sharply.

Bane’s demeanour remained calm despite John’s outburst and hot anger.

“I have been told, that I am a selfish man, if you do not wish to partake in our arrangement then you are more than welcome to end this,” Bane meandered to him, his casual walk did nothing to calm John’s thundering heartbeat, nor the anger that still heated his blood.  “Just remember that without my blessing, you and your guard will fall to the consequences of the affair.”

John clenched his fists and stood his ground, ticking his head upwards to keep his eyes on his husbands,

“This is blackmail,” he ground out, outraged.

“No, my little prince, blackmail would have me telling you, to come to my bed or I will kill your guard. This is merely, an arrangement.”

Unable to stand it, unable to stand this _man_ , John stormed out of the bedchamber to the empty suite across the hall. Nonetheless, after two weeks of sleeping beside Bane, his warmth infiltrating the very air, a furnace to sleep beside and inch closer to, as Bane kept his word and his hands to himself, John found himself restless in the cold and empty bed.

\----

It was another week before John and Barsad found themselves alone, once more, they hovered before each other, not quite touching, before Barsad spoke with such aching want splintering his voice into husky fragments.

“I want to touch you so badly, songbird, I want to kiss you, and take you and make you sing, but the thought of another touching you first…” Barsad snapped his mouth shut and shifted restlessly, impotent anger making him agitated and edgy.

“It makes me sick,” Barsad finally admitted, John took a half-step forward to lean into his whipcord bulk, Barsad did not disappoint, as he raised his arms to hold him tightly against him.

“I want you too, it would only have to be the once, and you know I would only think of you while it is happening,” John rested his cheek against Barsad’s chest, not minding the discomfort of his hardened leather armour.

“Just once?” Barsad murmured, bending his head to press his lips against John’s hair and breathe in the clean scent of soap and _John_.

“I swear it,” John murmured, fervently into his shoulder.

Barsad thought it over, carefully, before speaking moments later, a decision coming to fruition in his mind, speaking it out loud, “then, go to him tomorrow night, I will be on guard just outside the door, I will hear if he hurts you and be there to strike him down if he does.”

“Thank you, you are… understanding of this, I would not know…” John trailed off, it was obvious sentiment and it did not need to be said, when it was known already, he leaned up to press a kiss to his beloved’s lips, only to pause and hover there uncertainly, Barsad offered a small smile and merely loosened his grip, slowly and let John slip from his grasp.

\----

“Several members of the staff my husband brought with him have returned to Gotham,” Bane told Talia as the pair stood in the empty throne room. This particular part of the castle had become a common place for them to discuss matters of great importance to one another, surrounded by their loyal men, they could speak freely and have no fear of being overheard by their skulking enemies. It served another purpose as well, Talia said it helped her feel, as if her father was guiding her, his presence almost tangible in the room.

“Was John’s guard among them?” She questioned absently, knowing the answer before Bane even spoke in the negative.

“He was not, my princess, a cook however was.”

Talia’s face made her disinterest in such news clear, “And you tell me this why?”

“Because this cook has been offered enough gold to move their family to any kingdom they so choose, all they must do is slip the poison Crane has made into the King’s meal and the job will be done,”

Bane delighted in the smile that lit up Talia’s face at the news.

“Soon, I will be queen and then after I have corrected generations of wrongs in Gotham, after I have avenged my father and our people’s pain, both our lands will be at peace, truly, my friend, there is no one that could have accomplished this, but you,” Talia, rose on her tiptoes to wind her arms about his neck and hug him, as she had done as a very small child and been comforted by his constant presence.

Bane gave her a knowing smile and said, “and if Crane fails us then I know you will delight in punishing him, as you always do.”

Both Bane and Talia laughed at the mention of her ongoing meetings with Crane, but a thought occurred to Talia, which broke her out of her celebration.

“How will your little prince take the news of the King’s death?” A shrewd question, which Bane had mulled over with much deliberation.

“Not well I suspect, but I know that you will help guide him through his grief, thought he will have his suspicions, I am sure they can be… soothed.”

“Yes, perhaps he could even come to Gotham with me, teach me who would be an ally and who would be a treacherous snake.”

“A very fine idea my princess, I think such a trip would serve him well.”

\----

John kept his eyes down as he entered Bane’s and his bedchambers, unable to look at Barsad, where he stood outside the doorway, knowing what he was about to do.

John had not returned to Bane’s room since he had stormed out a week before, when John entered the room it took Bane a moment to fix his features into blank neutrality and hide his surprise, he’d thought it would have taken longer and with more anger on John’s part.

“Are you over your temper tantrum, my little prince?” Bane asked with a jovial tone, it was not a temper tantrum and Bane knew it, he was only trying to bait John. His empty bed, had been galling, as husband, it had been in his right to take John to his bed and take him, but he was not that man, no matter how difficult John was and how much he wanted the boy moaning under his hands.

“I wish to lay with Barsad, so I am here to lay with you first, to gain your blessing,” John stood with tension, his restrained energy all, but vibrating from his frame, he spoke the words calmly and even met Bane’s eyes as he did, without a hint of distaste, but Bane could read his dislike in his body.

Bane approached his husband and cupped his reddening cheek in his hand, running his thumb over John’s lips and studying the sweet, tightly pursed features with a critiquing, but admiring eye.

“I was hoping you would come to me soon,” Bane leaned down and kissed John softly.

“Bane, does it bother you to know that I am only with you to be with another?”

“At the moment, it is because you wish to be with him, but when I have you moaning and clutching at the sheets in ecstasy it will be my name you are screaming, not his, you will still feel the phantom movement of my cock, inside you in the morning, not his and you will come begging to me, for more tomorrow night. Not him,” Bane sounded so assured of himself that it sent a chill down John’s spine, for a moment he almost believed him.

“If I come to you tomorrow night, it will still be with his seed inside me,” he retorted, Bane’s only reply was being pulled into a bruising kiss and then a large hand, calloused and with such strength in each finger, gripping his shirt and tugging it with a groan of ripping cloth. Soon his shirt lied in tatters on the floor. Bane pulled his naked body against his own and resumed their kissing before pushing John on top of the bed and crawling over him.

John tried to push at Bane’s chest but the other man’s weight was too much and he was pinned between his husband and the bed, unable to move. He stopped fighting when he felt Bane’s lips move against his neck, kissing and sucking, hard. Every bite he would leave on John’s pale skin he would lick over, almost as if to sooth the ferocity that had him clenching his teeth to leave a mark against his skin. Bane lifted his bulk off John with one hand, to make room for his own hands to strip his clothing and toss it aside, all the while watching John’s heaving chest and the heavy blush that crept downward over John’s flesh.

When Bane’s chest was bare, he rocked downward, once more, to press his lips against his husbands and slide his hand past the edge and palm his cock. Savouring every moan and gasp, it gained him, John had been silent as he’d worked, but Bane worked well, to etch a sound from his husband’s pert lips. 

“You are truly a gift, my little prince, a reward given to my patience by a higher power,” Bane praised, as he moved his hand downward and thumbed over the tip of John’s cock, rumbling when John arched his hips and panted sharply, with a stuttering gasp.

“No man could create a beauty such as you and not have desire inflame them to have it,”

John wrapped his arms around Bane’s neck and pulled him back on top of him, kissing him with all the strength he had, his eyes were blown, wide and dark with arousal and Bane went willingly into husbands clutching hands.

“My husband, my husband” John murmured, eyes watching Bane’s face searchingly as he teasingly brushed his lips over Bane’s before, submitting to Bane’s insistence and opening his mouth for his lips and tongue, moaning sharply.

When they pulled apart Bane lowered his mouth over John’s chest, following the heavy blood-filled skin, as though it was a trail for him to physically mark. He licked at the small spread of hair, bit almost painfully at his nipples before he moved further down, just above John’s aching cock. Moving tauntingly over John’s hips, and thighs, he never once moved his touch to where John wanted it, no matter his keening implorations and undulating thrusts.

Sucking a bruise into the hollow of John’s hipbone, setting his teeth to the edge of the bone and pressing to make a lasting mark, John jumped and yelped.

“Say it. Yell out my name.” Bane ordered John.

“No.” John’s voice came out as little more than a desperate pant.

“You will. I am going to make sure you do and your guard will hear every moment of it.” Bane promised. John shouted out when Bane’s mouth suddenly wrapped around his cock.

“Oh, oh! Please, oh. More, please more,” he panted out as he made an aborted thrust upward into the warm heat of his husband’s mouth, Bane’s locked him down onto the bed, quelling his movement with ease. Bane took John as far into his mouth as he could, sucking him down and lingering with his tongue on the vein beneath the head, savouring the salt of John’s pre-come and the heat of his cock, as it hardened further. Before pulling back and moving away to the symphony of John’s pleading whimpers and fervent gasps, of denial, a sharp litany of ‘no’ falling from bitten lips as Bane moved further way, his hips thrusting into open air, cock spit-slick and so hard it was almost purple.

Bane wrapped his arm around John’s waist, another gripped his shoulder and he flipped John over on to his stomach. John could hear, the clink of a belt buckle and the sh-sh-sh of Bane removing his belt and pants behind him and suddenly thought of Barsad. He would have heard John begging for Bane as he sucked him, would have heard each whimper and moan, ashamed, his arousal began to fade and he rose up to shift away, to put an end to this, this…shameful behaviour, he was acting like a whore, spreading his legs and moaning for it, when he’d _promised_ … John started to crawl up the bed, trying to get away when Bane’s large hands reached down and grabbed his hips, pulling him back.

“Where are you going, John?” Bane asked, his voice low and husky with lust, his fingers flexed with their grip on his hipbones, reaching a hand downward to stroke his cock, if he was offended at John’s loss of arousal, he said nothing, merely gripped his cock and caressed him, until he began to moan and pant wetly into the sheets once more.

John’s attempt to answer, around his moans, was waylaid by the sound of Bane opening a jar, the oil from his travel chest, no doubt.

“Are you sure you want to leave?” One of Bane’s large fingers pushed inside him, “answer me, John, do you want to leave?”

“No,” John panted out, as he pushed back against Bane’s hand.

“No what, my little prince?” Bane pushed a second finger inside and started to work John open for him.

“No, I don’t want to leave, I don’t want you to stop, please, don’t stop” John shuddered, as Bane began to pump his fingers into him, it sounded obscene with how slick and wet he was, how Bane made him.

“Shout it, shout it out, John, if you want more, tell me how much you don’t want me to stop,” a third finger teased at his opening as Bane waited, John wailed and arched his hips for it,

“Please, oh gods, please Bane! I want it!” John was moaning with each push of Bane’s hand, his thick fingers driving deep and pushing against the muscle, with each stroke.

Three fingers and John started to feel a pleasant burn as Bane’s fingers stretched him open.

Bane removed his fingers and remarked, “I wonder how your guard feels, hearing you beg me to fuck you.”

‘Bastard,’ John thought viciously and parted his lips to speak the curse against Bane,

“You basta- ngh” John’s words fell into a long groan as the head of Bane’s cock pressed past the first clench of his loosened muscles into his tight hole.

“I told you that you would beg for me,” Bane sounded, fucking satisfied, so fucking proud at what he had reduced John to.

“Fuck you,” John gritted through clenched teeth.

“As you say,” Bane rumbled, sounding pleased.

Bane moved inside him with deep strokes, John was soon moaning loud and long with each thrust in, Bane snapped inwards with quick thrusts, each push of his cock into John had him, gripping the sheets tightly so as not to be pushed upward against the hard, unforgiving wood of the headboard loudly and Bane was thrusting quickly. One of Bane’s hands traced along John’s spine, as he fucked into him, the calluses and scars of it, catching on the relatively smooth skin of John’s back in comparison to Banes.

“You look unimaginably beautiful underneath me, my little prince.”

Bane’s hand moved from John’s back and reached around to take John’s cock in his grip, fingers wrapping lovingly around the hot length. His other hand canted John’s hips upward, shifting him about, as though he was a kitten to manhandle. 

After a few long strokes, of Bane’s talented fingers, stripping his cock without mercy and his sharp thrusts into his arse, John was spilling past Bane’s fingers and onto the sheets, with a keening moan, Bane came after with a loud shout, collapsing against John and pinning him to the bed.

John gasped at the feel off Bane pulling out of him, his erection still full. John watched Bane as he stood at the end of the bed for a moment, chest heaving, before Bane leaned down and picked up the torn remains of Johns shirt. With a gentle hand, Bane cleaned himself from between Johns legs.

“Are you going to sleep here tonight?” Bane’s mouth was against John’s ear, his panting breathes ghosting across John’s cheek.

“… Yes,” John’s voice was filled with creeping exhaustion, as he struggled to keep his eyes open, lids fluttering, Bane said nothing more, merely rolled them both onto their sides and pulled John tight against his chest to sleep.

Johns mind was still clouded with lust, he was happily stated but soon the haze began to lift and thoughts of Barsad filled his mind. What must is guard think of him now?

\----

When John woke the next morning, he was overheated from Bane’s heavy arm draped over him. He pushed back against the man, trying to bury himself further into the warmth, when he realised what he’d done last night and how it wasn’t with Barsad.

John attempted to move himself away from Bane, to climb out of the bed and just run away from last night, but Bane was awake by then and only held onto him tighter, brushing his nose against John’s hair, “trying to escape again, my little prince” John could hear how the words formed from deep in Bane’s chest, growling through his chest to vibrate against his back “and where are you running off to so soon, hmm?”

“I held up my part of the arrangement, now you hold up yours,” John said as he finally broke away from Bane, rolling to the edge of the bed and sitting up with a wince. It had been awhile and Bane was not a small man, the muscles of his arse had been stretched and his thighs ached as Bane had spread them to fuck into him, he could feel each mark and bruise the man had put on to him, not the least the ones on his hips from his punishing hold.

The pleasant demeanour Bane had awoken with was replaced with deep and hard anger, “you have my blessing to move around the castle as you wish, yes, so go to your guard then, like a whore,” Bane snarled, the words twisted to make them as cruel and hateful as they could be, the word ‘whore’ spit with venom, to lash against John’s back.

Bane gave a visceral snarl, scars distorting and rose from the bed, grabbing at John’s shoulder and pushing him out the chamber door in the cold, almost empty corridor beyond. Barsad looked at John with a cold impassiveness in his blank eyes, making John’s heart ache. Without saying a word to his guard, John simply turned and walked to his own bedchamber, wrapping the tattered shreds of his dignity around him like a cloak, head held high.

After John had bathed and clothed himself, he dismissed the servants and picked at the tray brought for him, ignoring the servant’s speculating looks as they left, no doubt the gossip of how their Lord and Master cast his husband from his bedchambers would be all over the castle by lunch, when Barsad knocked and then entered the room. John rose with a swell of such relief, that Barsad had not forsaken him for his actions, but still not daring to go to him, in case Barsad cast him aside, John would not blame him if he did.

“I thought it would not bother me, but you said that you would only think of me, so I told myself it would not bother me, and at first it did not, but then you started screaming his name as he filled you and I was filled with such jealousy… it bothered me, that he made you…”

The cold mask that Barsad took with others, one that meant they never knew how he felt or what he was thinking, was now on display for John, where before there had always been a smiling up curling the corner of his mouth, a spark in his eye and a ready hand held out to him to take.

“I-I apologize, I do not know what came over me.” John’s body felt as though he was burning with shame, burning with a heat so strong everyone in the Shadowlands could feel his personal disgust. Barsad moved towards him and John quickly stood back, unsure of the guard’s intentions.

 “I forgive you,” Barsad wrapped his arms around John’s shoulders, holding him tightly to him and kissed him, a mere brush of lips against John’s own.

“Thank you, you’re too kind to me, I will not go back to him, I swear I won’t, we will just have to risk not being caught,” the two stood in the centre of John’s almost bare room as they embraced.

“Since, I have laid with him we can still be together once without consequence,” John reminded softly, as they pulled apart to watch each other, Barsad thumbed John’s cheek, brushing along the edge of his cheekbone, slowly.

“Not today or tonight, my songbird, once you have washed and all trace of him is gone from your skin then I will take you,” Barsad paused for a moment before he leaned in and whispered in John’s ear, “and then I will fuck you, until you are ruined for all other men,” it was spoken as a fervent promise, John hoped that this one, would be kept, regardless of the small uneasiness that touched his thoughts at how he was casting Bane’s affections, _sincere_ affections aside.

“Bane has a meeting with the lords of the kingdom in three days, we shall try then and if we are caught, then we will say that we were merely using our one blessing,” John wrapped both hands around Barsads and brought his hands to his mouth to press his lips there in a kiss, before lowering them, “you’ve been on duty all night go to your quarters, rest, we shall see each other soon”

With one last, lingering kiss Barsad left the bedchamber for his own quarters.

\----

Two days after Bane’s night with John the king found his husband’s lover guarding one of the gates in the place yard right next to the horses stable.  Bane was carrying a small satchel in one hand as he crossed the muddy space. It still amused Bane that Barsad was made to guard Johns horse, if asked he would never admit to the idea being his.

“Barsad,” Bane identified and greeted as he approached his husband’s personal guard and

lover.

The guard quickly bowed and muttered, “Your Majesty.”

“I require something of you.”

“How may I serve you, Sire?”

“Go to the stables now, we will discuss it there,” Bane paused, waiting for the guard to move, watching as he hesitated, looking toward where John was in his rooms, changing his clothing from sparring gear, “Now,” Bane ordered, sharply.

Barsad gripped the sword at his side as he slowly made his way towards the stable, his posture was ridged, showing his tension at the other man’s presence, as Bane followed behind him, close enough, Barsad could almost feel his breath.

Once they were both in the entry way of the large stables Bane lead him towards the far end, past all of the royals horses to an empty box.

The fact that they were the only ones inside had not escaped Barsad’s attention, he suddenly worried that Bane was here to kill him to take away any challenge for John’s heart. Barsad’s grip on the sword grew tighter, he checked out the space, it was too small for him to pull out the weapon and strike the king before he would realise something had happened.  His hand fell from his weapon, hand-to-hand combat would be his only way out of this.

“I have no intention of hurting you, the opposite actually,” Bane turned and spoke after a long moment of studying him, he must have noticed the way Barsad had been clenching his fists, waiting for the inevitable confrontation.

“I do not…understand, Sire,” Barsad said slowly, watching for any motion that would give lie to Bane’s threat and action.

Bane did indeed move, but slowly and not with any attempt at violence, instead he raised a hand to circle and cup the back of Barsad’s neck, fingers almost surrounding the column of his throat and meeting finger-to-finger. Before pulling him into a bruising kiss, all teeth and no co-ordination, Barsad made a noise of alarm, hands spasming open, before rising to strike at the man. Bane caught one of his wrists in his other hand, this time Barsad could clearly feel how Bane’s hand circled the limb completely and squeezed warningly, bones shifted in his grasp, and Barsad jerked. When Bane drew back, Barsad tried to fight against his hold, but Bane merely pushed him back, causing him to stumble against a hay pile and tumble over it onto his back.

Before he could rise to his feet or even his knees, Bane was upon him,

“If I cannot have my husband exclusively, then I shall have you both, it only seems fair to me,” one of Bane’s thighs pushed its way between Barsad’s legs and Bane could feel him growing hard underneath him.

“I think it seems rather fair to you, as well,” Bane continued, as he leaned in and brushed his nose along the column of Barsad’s neck, scratching through his beard.

Barsad was speechless; something that did not happen often, Bane was on top of him, grinding against him, biting at his neck, it was as far away from anything he was expecting or could imagine, when the king had initially approached him. Eventually, he found his voice again, growing familiar with Bane’s rocking thrusts against his cock with his thigh, “and what would you tell your husband about this?”

After a particularly hard bite to just below the collar of the guard’s uniform Bane answered, “Who says we have to tell him anything.”

“Should he not know?” Barsad’s hips started to move, seemingly without permission from his mind as he ground up against the large thigh, his cock aching in the confines of his trousers.

“If I had not caught the pair of you in the corridor would you have told me?” One of Bane’s hands moved between their bodies and started working at the ties of Barsad’s trousers, as soon as they were open Bane moved his leg to straddle Barsad’s hips and propped himself back as he slowly moved over Barsad’s erection with the palm of his hand.

“No,” Barsad managed to say in-between his panting breathes, there was no more to say after that, only rushed, frantic movement as Barsad tried to remove Bane’s trousers, through the subtle finery of his outfit and Bane nearly falling off the hay pile to reach the jar of oil, placed there beforehand.

Bane took his place between the guard’s legs again and he hooked his arms underneath Barsad’s knees, spreading them wide and spread him open as far as he could, “you are to stay like this, there will be consequences if you move, understood?”

Barsad nodded and watched as Bane reached over to the edge of the hay pile, where he’d placed the small jar of oil and slick his fingers with the oil from it. Slowly Barsad felt Bane push one finger, soon followed by another, a third began to stroke past the ring of muscle, too quickly, making his hole burn and stretch uncomfortably, he struggled to keep his legs parted and wavered slightly, from the pain.

Bane didn’t miss his subtle movement, his fingers  suddenly changing the angle of his thrusts, it took a few crooks of Bane’s fingers, before he hit Barsad’s prostate, but when the man jerked and arched with a guttering moan under his gaze, the smile that crinkled the corners of his eyes, was pure self-satisfaction. He tried to squirm away from it, feeling too sensitive to handle it but Bane placed a heavy hand on his stomach and held him in place.

“I warned you there would be consequences if you moved, now you will stay like this until you come for me, I will only stop once you’ve spent yourself over your uniform and everyone else can see you for the whore you are,” Bane looked up at him from under his lashes, leering at Barsad with a hint of sadism in that bright gaze, scars twisting so he looked every inch the fearsome conqueror, that had taken John to his bed and made him cry out so loudly. By the time Barsad finally came, tears were forming in his eyes and he was gasping half-muttered threats for release from Bane.

“The whole castle would have heard that, John included,” Bane gave him a moment to recover, as he collected more oil and leisurely stroked his cock, thumbing over the pre-come on the tip, that swelled and beaded to slick the head of it. Once Barsad’s breathe was caught, Bane guided his cock between the guard’s parted thighs, canting Barsad’s hips and pushing in with little pause for him to catch his breath.

The first half-a-dozen thrusts hurt, before Bane shifted his grip and angle, Barsad groaned when Bane brushed just across his prostate, just enough to send a current down his spine and snap it into a curve. Feeling embolden and he had never been a man to just lie and take it, Barsad reached up, tracing over the scars running along Bane’s face, the long gash running from his right temple to his left cheek, the smaller one across his left eyebrow and the twisted rope of scar tissue along his jaw line. Banes nose had clearly been broken and reset incorrectly and the hair in his eyebrow did not grow well, where it had been marred, Barsad wondered if he could still see out of his eye. Barsad expected to be scolded, but Bane leaned into the touch, clearly starved for some form of gentle contact, as soon as Barsad realised what he’d been doing, he pulled his hand away as though it had been burned and Bane started moving harder and harder. Barsad had to brace himself with a hand on the stall wall, to keep from being driven from the hay pile, but he met Bane’s thrust with force back, matching him stroke for stroke, turning their fucking into a battle, that had Bane grunting a noise from his chest with each thrust.

Barsad’s legs held tight around Bane’s hips as his movements became erratic and he came with a low growl in Barsad’s ear. Stripping his cock mercilessly so Barsad came moments later, muscles tightening around Bane’s cock with such aching force, he had to let go of his lips or risk biting through them, crying out as semen splattered in long stripes across his belly and chest, almost reaching his chin with how hard he came. Barrel chest rising and falling, with deep gasps of breath, Bane withdrew and cleaned himself perfunctorily, rising and tossing the cloth onto Barsad’s limp and spent form, his pants were buckled and he righted his other clothing, looking down to the guard and speaking coldly, “let us see if John will still lay with you tomorrow when you are still sore from me.”

Barsad was left to clean himself up as much as he could and return to duty with the knowing looks of the other castle staff and the smell of Bane clinging to his skin. He held onto a hope that John would never know, but the look on the stable boys face has he exited the stables told him he differently.

\----

The next time, John came to Bane’s bed, it was after the news of the King’s death in Gotham, the news had travelled fast to the Shadowlands, of King Bruce’s sudden death, inexplicable and unexpected. His death had come as a shock to Gotham, the whole land falling into mourning with his demise.

Despite his old King’s imperfections, of which there had been many, John had adored him all the same. Bruce and his parents had taken him in as one of their own after John’s father was killed protecting the former King Thomas from assassins. After spending nearly his whole life at Bruce’s side he had come to consider him a brother and the loss hurt like he’d lost the last of his family.

In his grief and his need for comfort and to be loved, he went to Bane’s bed, he’d never expected Bane to deny him, not when he came to him willingly.

“You are not of your right mind my little prince, you are in pain and you need an outlet for your grief, I will not be it. I care for you too much to take advantage of you in such away,” Bane cradled one flushed cheek in a broad palm, soothing his husband, as he watched John’s lashes flicker and lower over his eyes, beaded with tears, his eyes wet with them. John raised his hands to clutch at his shirt, twisting his fingers into the fabric and burrowing close to lay his head upon the broad chest of the man. He would have gone to Barsad, but he did not want false placations, Barsad had liked Bruce well enough, as his King, but it had been a regard one had for their ruler, Bane would offer nothing that wasn’t true and John could grieve and not be offered false affections.

John had not thought he’d be denied in this, though, in anger John pushed away and spat out at him, “You do not want to take advantage of me? As if you have not already! You gave me an ultimatum to lie with you or have Barsad executed, the next time he touched me and you do not consider that taking advantage of me?!”

“I do not wish to fight you, not when you are in so much pain, lie with me, rest and we will speak of these less savoury matters in the morning.”

“No, we will speak of them now! Because now, there is not a way you could not could make me feel worse, so now is the best time to speak about it.”

Bane stood silent for a moment studying John’s face, despite his husbands anger, that had dashed the tears from his eyes, to be replaced with hot anger, John did not move away from the palm that still cradled his face, indeed, his husband tilted into it. Bane did not know what it meant, that John could strike out at him with anger in his words, but softness and a want of comfort in his actions. Trying desperately to find a dash of uncertainty, anything to cling to so he could end John’s inquiry, to end the uncertainty of his husband’s anger, he found nothing.

In a voice so quiet, John almost did not hear him Bane murmured, “How else would you have me? You have your handsome guard that would die for you, why would you settle for a monster like me?”

John felt all of his anger drain out of him at Bane’s words, “Is that how you see yourself? A monster?”

“It is how everyone sees me, I know and I accept this, but you” and here Bane edged his fingers under John’s chin to tilt up his face upward toward Banes, so that he could study the lush sweetness of his features, young and sweet even in anger and grief, “but you are so beautiful and I am selfish, I saw you on the field of battle, we did not meet, but I saw you and I had to have you and this was the only way I could see myself… that it could happen, where you would be at my side, in my bed.”

John felt his anger slowly start to drain. It had been so easy for him to see Bane was the masked monster on the field of battle, but now all he can see is the lonely man and Johns hurt starts to ache for him.

 “Stop, that is enough, please, say no more,” John begged him, “we will speak of this in the morning, for now I just wish to grieve and sleep,” here John hesitated, before speaking once more, drawing close to reach a hand up and touch upon Bane’s face, follow the lines of one of his scars, “and I only want you holding me while I do it. I’ve been so lonely each night, and I think you have too.”

John moved to lie on the bed, already dressed in a nightshirt and trousers, Bane followed shortly after, and did as John asked, begged so sweetly for him to do, wrapping him in his arms and letting him sleep, surrounded in Bane’s warmth.

When John woke in the morning, he could feel the heavy press of Bane’s hard cock against his arse, Bane was already awake and stroking over his chest and belly with feather light touches. John lay quiet for a moment, the night before churning in his mind, before shifting and rolling his hips back, his arse grinding against Bane’s cock, Bane growled a sleepy groan and gripped John tighter. John repeated the movement again and again until he felt Bane start to push back.

“Morning, my little prince,” Bane’s voice was heavy with sleep and John rolled over in Bane’s arms to face him, his husband raised his arms, so John could have room to do so, before resettling his hold over him once more, a hand stroking over his back, with long even strokes.

“Morning,” John moved his lips along Bane’s jaw line, until he John pulled him into a kiss.

Bane gave into it for a moment before he pulled away, “do not, do this.”

“Do what?” John questioned, with bewilderment.

“Pity me.”

“Pity you?!” John questioned with such startlement, his voice rose, “my lord husband, I do not pity you, I disliked you at first because I thought you were arrogant and cruel, but you are not. I can see that now, so I am going to try this again,” John told him, as his hands moved under Bane’s nightshirt and slid up his chest, the cloth rising as his hands did.

“What of your guard lover, Barsad?”

  
“I-I,” he hesitated, studying Bane’s face, before speaking, slowly, the words more pulled from his mouth than spoken, “you are my husband, my body is yours, as yours is mine,” John cast his eyes downwards briefly, as he gathered his next thoughts, before speaking, “it is time I did my duty, as husband to you, I have been a child, throwing a tantrum and it would not….be such a duty to come to your bed,” he admitted.

Bane needed no other confirmation, that John wanted this, he moved over on to his back and pulled John along with him, until the prince was straddling his hips, legs parted to balance in the position, his hands found a perch on his husband’s broad chest, before Bane, took his hips into his broad hands and held them there with easy strength. 

“How did it happen?” John asked as his fingers ran along the scars of his husband’s face.

“Everyone knows the story of my scars,” Bane dismissed, lipping at John’s fingers, when they strayed close.

“I know the story, but I want to know the truth,” pausing at the widest of the scars and pressing it with his fingers, studying the difference in the texture.

Bane closed his eyes as he savoured the feel of John’s touch, soft and hesitant, wondering, but there was no pity, no disgust, Bane relished it, as he thought he could never have.

“It was not the brave or noble battle the servants of the castle like to gossip about, I had not fought a single war for the Shadowlands when it happened, I was merely a boy,” Bane paused, the story was obviously a difficult one for him to tell.

After a moment he continued, “My father etched these wounds onto my face.”

John drew in a sharp breath, he couldn’t imagine how a parent could do that to their child.

“Why?”

“He was a warlord, as I am sure you already know and he turned his army against the Shadowlands. During one of the battles he captured Princess Talia, he planned to use her as a pawn to force Ra’s to surrender. Ra’s refused, so my father decided to have Talia executed. The night before it was meant to happen I helped her escape and my father found out, in his rage he did this to me,” Bane gestured towards his face with a careless gesture, a grimace there and gone flashing across his features.

“After my father took his vengeance from me he left me to die, to bleed to death on the ground, as if I were nothing to him, but Talia had returned to her father and told him what I had done and he saved me from death and killed my father.”

The room fell to stillness and quiet after Bane finished speaking, John said nothing for a time, wondering over his husband’s strength and person, he had mistaken this man for nothing, but a brute, to his shame.

“That is how you became his ward?” John wondered, his attention focused solely on the story.

“He rewarded me his kingdom for his daughter’s life,” Bane went silent once more, the memories of it, no doubt playing in his mind.

“I had no idea.”

“Few do, it is simply easier for them to imagine me as the monster they see on the battlefield.”

John didn’t say a word he simply leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to Bane’s lips, then drifted to kiss along the length of one of his scars following it up until it ended near his eyes then brushed a kiss against them, feeling the flutter of his lashes, that were ridiculously long, John knew smiling. John’s hips slowly rotated against Bane’s and his husband’s grip one his hips grew tight and hard, grasping at the knobs of bone and wrapping his fingers to the small of his back, marvelling as always how well he fit into his hands.

“Take me,” was all John demanded, as he moved himself down Bane’s body and plucked at the ties to his sleeping trousers.

“As you command, my little…” Bane’s words left him as John pushed his mouth down on his hard cock, suckling the hardening length and wrapping his tongue around the head of it, John savoured the salt of Bane’s pre-come, steadying himself with a hand against Bane’s thigh, the muscles bunching around his touch as John bobbed his head. Exhaling sharply, John pulled off of him, licking his lips and tilting his gaze to look up Bane’s body, the planes and angles of his broad form, that could take him and manhandle him so easily. John dipped his head downwards to mouth at Bane’s scrotum. Bane’s hand feathered and gripped his hair, as John gently sucked him into his mouth.  John felt the push on the back of his head forcing Bane further into his mouth.

John moved upwards to take Bane’s cock again, until it hit the back of his throat, loosening his throat and swallowing around it, he couldn’t get the whole length into his mouth, but his covered the base with his hand. He held his position for a moment, letting his throat relax to the intrusion, before bobbing his head up and down to Bane’s groaning, vociferous pleasure.

“I will be spent, if you continue, John and when I come it will be inside you, understand?”

John only nodded, as he licked his swollen lips.

“Go and get the oil, then lie back on the bed, I want to watch you open yourself for me.”

John scrambled and slid off the bed, pulling at his clothing with his hands as he walked to the chests to collect the small jar, placed prominently on top of the largest.

When John returned to the bed, Bane was settled with his back against the headboard, with his pants and shirt off slowly fisting his erection, while he watched John with calculating eyes.

John paused, oil in one hand and fingers tangled in the laces of his pants with the other, Bane motioned him to come closer, crooking his fingers until John was at the side of the bed, the oil he set down on the bedside table, using both hands to push his trousers down.

John leaned back on his thighs, spreading them wide, wide enough headboard and spread his legs for Bane to see, making a show of it John dipped his fingers into the jar and then circled them around his hole slowly, only occasionally stopping to push the tip of his finger in, then pulling it out again.

“Would you make the lords of your court wait, while you watched me fuck myself?” John asked as he pushed his middle finger in all the way, spreading his legs wider on the bed.

“Yes, but I would made sure you screamed so that they would hear why they were waiting,”

John didn’t reply to Bane’s taunt, he only pushed another finger inside himself and started to work his tight hole open.

Having grown impatient Bane reached across the bed to him, taking hold of John’

John’s wrist and pulling his fingers out, crowding him back, so John had no choice, but to settle onto his back, more of a controlled topple, as Bane set his hands on the inside of his thighs and parted them wider. A moment, as Bane studied him, then he reached behind him and pulled one of his pillows from the head to slide against his back, arching his hips upwards, seemingly satisfied, by the arrangement, Bane ducked his head down and curled his tongue against John’s hole.

“Oh, gods above, keep doing that, fuck! Oh please,” John’s words became a gibbering slur of mixed noises and loud moans. Bane trailed a hand up over his hip, to cradle it upwards and canted them at just the right angle, he was able to- John dissolved into wordless pleading, keening his pleasure out.

The tip of Bane’s tongue ran around the edge before plunging in, it stroked him open, leaving him to heave for air and stare blindly upwards, hands clenching on the sheets, while his body lurched and shifted with each push and withdraw of Bane’s tongue into him.

He can hear himself, he didn’t sound human with such noises coming from his mouth, his hands continued to shift restlessly, until he keens with a particular strike into him, with the muscle of Bane’s tongue and John reaches downwards to run his fingers along Bane’s scalp, occasionally grabbing the back of his head to urge him to move his mouth faster. 

John didn’t see as Bane reached over to collect the little jar of oil, when Bane eventually pulled away from John’s hole, leaving him shivering and gasping, little half-sobs mewling from his reddened mouth, his cock was covered in oil, ready to take John.

Slowly and gently, oh so gently Bane pushed into John, slipping in with languid rolls of his hips, John stirred and hooked his legs around Bane’s hips, pressing his heels into Bane’s back and pressing him closer so he could wrap his arms around Bane’s broad shoulders and  move his hips in cadence with Banes, blinking to clear the sheen of toogoodtooperfect pleasure from his eyes, he watched Bane’s eyes, as they watched him back, keeping himself focused on Bane as his body was driven to the very ends of its limits.

John’s breath hitched as Bane shifted, his cock sliding deep and brushing against his prostrate, a teasing glance that caused John to cry out sharply and grind down against Bane’s cock, his reaction was noted and Bane drew back and thrust into him again, hitting against that perfect spot inside him. Alternating between slow and long strokes and quick snap-thrusts of his hips, Bane made John wail, before coming undone beneath him.

“You fall apart so beautifully, my little prince,” Bane panted, his pace picking up until he was gripping tightly at the sheets on either side of John’s head, coming after one, two thrusts and growling as he snapped his hips upwards, to drive himself deeper as he came within John, shuddering as John’s muscles fluttered against his cock and milked him until he was dry.

John laid back, hardly moving a muscle as Bane moved a cloth between his legs cleaning him. Once the sticky feeling was gone from between Johns legs he moved into Banes arms.

“Thank you,” Bane murmured

“For what?” John asked him, around a yawn, sliding deeper into his embrace until his face was settled against the hot skin of Bane’s chest.

“For giving me you,” Bane said simply, stroking his hair back and palming the back of his neck with reverent fingers.

\----

After breaking his fast with Bane in the morning, John met Barsad for regular weapons practice in the castle yard. 

 

"Did you do it to spite me?" The guard questioned, morose, but his back in a sharp line and his face set into stone, John’s heart ached to see Barsad setting himself up to weather the hurt of a ‘yes’.

 

"At first, I was going to, but then I did it because I genuinely wanted to,” John confessed, Barsad’s turned to twin-sets of flint, but John bullied on, not letting him fall behind his walls.

 

“Did you lay with him to hurt me, because I don't believe you did, but still a voice continues saying you did so in my head,” John reminded Barsad of his own tumble with Bane.

 

"I would never do anything to willingly hurt you, my songbird," the honesty in Barsad’s voice was undeniable, "did you in enjoy it?" There was a tone to his voice that was almost mischievous with his query. 

 

"Yes, he is a good lover," John could still feel how sore he was from Bane’s fucking and he would be avoiding horses for the time being.

 

"I did as well," Barsad told him. 

 

"I think about having the both if you, I have since my first night with him," John confessed, his emotions in a turmoil with such an admission. 

 

Barsad looked confused for a moment, "You have had the both of us." 

 

"No, I think about having the both you at the same time," John corrected, watching him, carefully. 

 

Barsad felt his cock begin to harden, pressing against his trousers at the very thought of it, John leaned in close to him and whispered in his ear, "come to our bedchamber tonight."

 

"Will your husband approve of this?" 

 

John bit at his earlobe before replying, "I doubt he would deny me." 

 

"I fear you may not be the same songbird I escorted here, you have grown into something…  different," Barsad seemed to consider John with those words, eyes flickering over his face as though searching for something, John wasn’t sure he would find it, or even what he was looking for.

 

John pulled away, hurt flashing across his face.

 

“You have grown into so much more, I like it” Barsad decided, “I like it very much, my songbird, but perhaps you are more of a peacock now with the way you are strutting before me. Very tempting." John met Barsad’s smile with his own, looking at him from beneath lowered lashes, as his eyes glittered with hidden promises.

 

He walked a pace backwards, before turning and strutting away, he knew Barsad would come to him and Bane tonight.

\----

Barsad did go to their bedchambers that night, but hovered outside the room waiting for John to come and get him or for his nerve to break and for him to flee, back to his rooms, unsure if it would be too presumptuous of him, to knock or enter, he raised a hand regardless and knocked against the heavy wood of the door. 

 

Bane opened the door for him to enter, a few minutes after he knocked and Barsad was taken back a moment, as the king withdrew from the door, leaving it open, completely bare. 

 

When they had laid together in the stables, Bane had remained mostly clothed and Barsad had never seen his cock, but for a few quick flashes. Now he found himself both intimidated and somewhat self-conscious of the man’s size, a better question, might be how it ever fit in his songbird without splitting him in two.

 

When he entered the room he saw John naked on his knees before a large and empty chair in the centre of the room, his head was turned to look over his shoulder toward them and he smiled at Barsad, looking so pleased to see him. 

 

"John has told me of his desire and why you are here, he was just further convincing me at the moment." Bane stalked back to the chair, falling into it, to lounge back like a great cat, one hand on the rest and the other winding its fingers into John’s hair, Bane spread his thighs to cradle John between them, groaning when John dipped to mouth at his cock.

Barsad was frozen in place as he watched John’s back, as it bent and arched into Bane’s lap, the sounds, absolute filth that poured from them as he suckled at Bane’s cock, Barsad could barely look away from the slope of John’s back, how his head bobbed up and down, but when he finally did, it was to find Bane watching him. 

 

"You are far too overdressed, loosen your sword and dispose of it by the door, your uniform on the chest,” Bane instructed, his voice a husky rasp, curling like a cat’s purr to play Barsad into his claws. He appeared almost disinterested with how John was taking more and more of his cock with each bob of his head.

 

Once Barsad had done as he was instructed and was completely bare, he walked to where the king and his prince were Bane tugged John’s head back with a grip on his hair, his cock falling from John’s mouth with a slick pop, Bane thumbed the corner of his mouth for a moment looking down at him, as John looked up, before rising from the chair and gestured for Barsad to take his place beside him. 

 

"You wish to share us both together, my little prince?" asked Bane, he was not looking for an answer though. 

 

John looked up from his place on the floor, his lips swollen and face flushed, he nodded.

"Then have the both of us," Bane made a gesture with one hand toward Barsad. 

 

It took John a moment to understand what he meant, but he smiled large and smug when he did, licking his lips lasciviously at Bane’s meaning, he reached up and took both Bane and Barsad in his hands and slowly started stroking them. 

 

As his confidence built John’s hands moved faster and he leaned forward to lick along the tip of Barsad’s cock causing the guard to throw his head back with a loud moan. He directed Barsad’s cock to his mouth, bending his head slightly so Barsad was fucking downwards into his mouth at his own pace, John’s hand never faltered on Bane’s own cock, as he lapped and sucked at Barsads. 

 

Barsad’s cock slipped from John’s mouth with a small pop and John took him in hand, his cock slick and easier to move in the tight channel of his fist as John moved his focus to Bane, tonguing the head of his cock and ducking to lathe at the large vein underneath, John moaned and let Bane slick his cock past his lips and into his mouth, driving it deep, Bane and Barsad watched his throat work to loosen around it, swallowing and humming when he did, eyes slit with pleasure.

 

"Your pretty mouth was made to be fucked, little prince," Bane murmured with affection as he pushed further into John’s mouth. John hummed again and withdrew, when Barsad pressed closer, mesmerized by John’s mouth, red and swollen, the lips pushed wide around Bane’s cock.

 

When just the tip of Bane’s cock was in John’s mouth Bane reached down to part his mouth wider, for Barsad to push the head of his cock against John’s lips, John opened his mouth obediently, apprehension clouding his eyes as his jaw fell loose while the two shallowly thrust their cocks into him. John struggled to keep the both of them in his mouth, gagging slightly, mouth feeling so full and stretched, saliva pooling at the corners and bottom of his mouth.

 

John looked up with tears in his eyes as both his lover and his husband stood before him.

“Both of you, on the bed,” Bane commanded.

John quickly rose to his feet and moved to the bed, sliding over the sheets until he reached the centre and splayed out on his back, canting his hips upward, while spreading his legs, his eyes were half-lidded and his hair in loose tufts over sheets, he looked achingly beautiful. Bane rumbled and stalked to him, one knee rising to balance him on the bed, as John rolled into Bane’s grasp, arching into it with a soft moan. Barsad wondered how much Bane and John had planned before he showed, because surely John could not be so alluring by accident, Barsad took his gaze from following the lean lines of his prince and looked to Bane, finding him staring at him with amusement.

  
“Well are you going to fuck him or would you like him to beg first?”

Barsad swallowed, throat clicking with how dry his mouth suddenly became,

“Beg,” he murmured hoarse with want.

“Please Barsad, I need you inside me, I need you to fuck me and fill me and leave me all used, please,” John panted out, groaning and splaying his legs to show how hard and aching his cock was, how eager he was for Barsad to rut between his thighs.

Barsad was not even aware of coming closer, until Bane handed him a small jar of oil to slick his fingers with, John had slid onto his back and arched his hips upward, groaning at the first finger and pushing back eagerly into his hand as Barsad drove one, than two, then three into him, twisting them into the hot depths of John’s body and feeling the muscles clench around them. It was easy to withdraw his fingers and push in, John opened to him, greedy, sucking him in and urging him deeper with soft little cries, eyes glittering up at him, every time Barsad thrust into him.

“After all this time, I had no idea something like this would please you, my songbird,” Barsad’s hands were on John’s hips pulling him back to meet each thrust, “What else does my songbird want?”

John let out a loud groan as Barsad didn’t let him catch his breath before he was pounding into him, knowing the secret crevices of his body, where to touch and stroke and caress to inflame John to the highest passion, as he fucked into him and against his prostrate.

“I want Bane to take you, while you are inside me,” John demanded, spilling out his wish in between his cries for more.

Bane lifted himself from where he had settled in the large chair to watch and sauntered close, taking his place behind Barsad, with a slash of white teeth in a sickle grin, scars twisting to make him seem fiercer and more wild in his visage. Bane pushed on Barsad’s shoulder until he was bent slightly over John, still pushing into John, grinding deep to work his prostrate and have John writhe beneath his hands and eyes. With slicked fingers Bane pushed two into Barsad and started to work him open, prepping him with economical, quick movements, two fingers became three and then four, Bane pulled his fingers out, when Barsad gave a sudden thrust, hard into John and paused there as Bane pushed his cock into him, holding still and feeling John shiver and flex around him, mewling.

“Are you pleased now, my little prince?” Bane asked as he ground down into Barsad, holding him up with a hand on his hip, to fuck into him.

“Ye-es,” John’s voice came out as a long sigh, with the weight of both Bane and Barsad against him, his arms and legs felt as though they were going to collapse underneath, it was the need to keep the feeling of Barsad moving inside him every time Bane moved inside Barsad, that kept him going.

It didn’t take long for John to come, snapping his hips back for Barsad’s cock and all, but, screaming as he came in long ropes over the bedding, panting for ragged breathe, at every movement Barsad made inside him, as Bane rocked into him and pushed him into John, oversensitive and limp from his orgasm.

“That’s it… sing… sing for us, songbird,” Barsad was panting against John’s ear as his movements became erratic, with one final thrust Barsad spilled himself inside John, with a low groan, bending close to nip at the line of his throat.

Bane stilled for a moment, as John snaked out from under Barsad, cock falling from his whole and come trailing lines down the back of his thighs. When Bane started moving again John was behind him kissing along his shoulder, up his neck, his hands ran along the muscles of his arms, down to his hands and back up, each movement lax, languid and sloppy from his orgasm, his energy sapped from the through fucking.

Bane turned his head to look over his shoulder and meet John’s lips in a deep kiss, rumbling as John nipped at his bottom lip, taking it into mouth to suck and bite at, as he snapped his hips again and again into Barsad’s eager body beneath him. When Bane came, it was with a moan, that vibrated the very air it touched, John chasing after his mouth to catch it up and swallow it down, skating his nails along Bane’s flank and feeling the shiver of his muscles as he spilled into Barsad.

Bane held still like that, Barsad on his hands and knees before him and John behind him coating his neck and shoulders in bites, licks, and the occasional kiss. Bane pulled out of him, with a grunt, falling to the side and taking gulping breathes, as John followed him down and curled up against his side.

Deciding the night was over Barsad went to get out of the bed and retrieve his clothing, he would bathe in the communal wash, he did not wishing to push and overstay his welcome, this was a treat, one he would cherish, but it was obvious now, what he had refused to see before, that John was now Bane’s, their marriage was…a fit and he would hold the memories of their nights and this night close, during those cold winter months, perhaps John could even come to his bed some of those nights as well. Surprised when he felt Bane’s large hand grip tightly at his wrist, and jerk him to a stop before he could rise from the bed.

“Do you not want to stay with us, Barsad?” Bane questioned idly, as he stroked along his husband’s back, following the knobs of his spine with care as John breathed against his chest, wrung-out and placated with an orgasm’s lassitude.

Barsad looked down at John, from his place on Bane’s chest, looking back at Barsad with hopeful eyes, a tentative smile quirking his lips in one corner.

“I do want to stay, may I?” John knew instantly that Barsad was trying to hide how much the offer meant to him, John would always know him better than he even knew himself in some things.

“Of course little guard, but do get on the bed properly, you look as though you are seconds away from toppling over the side,” Bane chortled.

\----

It was two weeks after King Bruce’s death that John was presented with the idea of allowing Talia to rule Gotham John was at first apprehensive, she was not from Gotham she did not know the people, but he knew how she helped rule over the Shadowlands and tried to look past any doubt he had over it, he knew they asked as merely a formality, she would take the throne of Gotham regardless.

What finally made John agree to it completely, was on the morning when he was lying in bed with Bane and Barsad, Bane told him he could return to Gotham for a time to help Talia settle.

“You can see your family again Barsad,” John said as one of his hands lazily ran along the guard’s side. With the look that spread over Barsads face John knew he was thinking of his mother, and brother.

 “Barsad will not be going to Gotham with you,” Bane said simply, his tone made it clear and brooked no argument, that it was not up for debate.  Not that it stopped John from questioning his husband’s words, “Why?”

“You must have a reason to return to us, my little prince”

“Of course, I would come back, but if that is your command then I must assume I have no choice, but to stay, someone has to keep the both you entertained,” rolling over to splay over Bane’s chest and smile down at him, while holding out a hand for Barsad to take and wind their fingers together.

**Author's Note:**

> Shameless Self Promotion: http://captainbubblygreenbubbles.tumblr.com/


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